“But I can’t find a local baker doing them,” said Sour R Salad owner Cherri Hassett. She has to buy in bulk from her supplier Sysco and doesn’t really have the space to store them. “I’d do it more if I could.”

Picasso’s Pastries makes them on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

“We keep selling them out,” said Zaczynski, who opened Picasso’s Pastries last summer with Kayla Brandt. “They’re obviously popular.”

You can also make pretzel rolls at home. Zaczynski offers a recipe (below) and several tips to help you along.

He recommends a high-gluten flour (it can be either all purpose or bread flour). Zaczynski mixes the dough using a paddle and then a dough hook on his mixer. “The paddle incorporates all the ingredients,” he said. “The dough hook helps stretch out the gluten, creating that bread-like quality.”

When mixed, the dough should easily “clear” or come off the sides of the mixing bowl, but stick just a little at the bottom, he said.

The dough should rest for an hour to 90 minutes between 72 and 80 degrees. It should double in size.

Then you form it into as many rolls as you want. (This recipe forms 4 hamburger-sized rolls, but you can get more slider or dinner rolls). Zaczynski pushes down on the dough as he’s rolling (by hand), to allow them to rise properly.

Now comes the part that makes a pretzel roll a pretzel roll: The salt water bath.
Zaczynski brings a pot of water to a low boil, then adds a mix of salt and baking soda (traditional pretzel recipes call for a lye solution).

This is what adds the characteristic saltiness and “fizz” to the rolls, creating the classic pretzel crust. Zaczynski bathes the rolls for a minute, turning them once after 30 seconds. (Be careful not to overfill the pot, to avoid spillovers).

It’s wet dough, and even wetter when it comes out of the bath. That led Kaczynski to a discovery.

He first tried to bake them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, but the wet dough and bath solution cause the paper to stick. So he sprays some oil on the parchment paper.

“I know that sounds strange, but you really can’t get the paper off if you don’t do it,” he said. “It took me a while to figure that out.”

Before baking, Zaczynski adds one more touch that gives a pretzel roll its character: A cut across the top of each roll. In most cases, that will be an “X.” But also sometimes cuts a “P” in his to mark Picasso’s Pastries. He also sprinkles on coarse salt.

Bake them for 20 to 24 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until they turn a dark brown. (The cut will remain lighter colored).

And what do you do with them?

The hot trend has been to use them for sandwiches, burgers or sliders. But Zaczynski also thinks they make great dinner rolls.

He also likes to dunk his in marinara sauce. Brandt, his partner, likes dipping them in cheese.

When dough has risen (doubled in size), form rolls to desired size. Give each dough ball a bath for 30 seconds on each side.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make a cut in top of each roll (optional) and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place water-bathed pretzel rolls on sprayed parchment paper and bake for 20 to 24 minutes.

Note: This recipe makes vegan-friendly rolls. Kaczynski substitutes the soy powder for dry milk and vegetable shortening for butter. For a similar, non-vegan alternative, see the accompanying King Arthur recipe.

Heat milk and butter until warm (100 degrees to 110 degrees F); the butter will not completely melt. Combine with undissolved yeast and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl.

Stir in salt and 2 cups flour, beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine boiling solution and bring to a boil. Punch dough down and divide into 2 equal pieces. Form each piece into a tight, smooth ball. Boil each loaf in the solution for 2 minutes, turning after 1 minute. Remove loaves from pot using a slotted spoon and place on a greased baking sheet.

Brush with egg wash and cut a cross in the top. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes until the loaves are evenly browned. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

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